The invention relates to the field of accessing stacked information discs.
The invention relates to a changer apparatus for information discs, including a read/write unit for reading information stored on an information disc and/or writing information onto an information disc and including a stacking unit for stacking at least two information discs in at least two stacking positions, the stacking unit having holding trays for holding the information discs in holding planes and a first transport mechanism for moving the holding trays into the stacking positions.
Such a changer apparatus is known from EP 884 726. In this known apparatus a loading position has been provided inside the stacking unit, in which position one of the holding trays can be brought by rotation of a spindle. In order to bring the information disc into a play position in which it is to be played back, the known apparatus has a transport mechanism by means of which an information disc to be played is movable from holding tray, which is in the loading position, into the play position, the play position being situated outside the stacking unit. For such a play position situated outside the stacking unit a suitable mounting space must be provided in the construction of the known apparatus.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph, which in particular enables a space-saving construction to be realized.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the holding trays each have two parts, i.e. a top part and a bottom part, the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays are jointly movable in the same direction by means of the first transport mechanism for the transport of the information disc inside the stacking unit, and the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray holding an information disc to be read and/or inscribed are movable with respect to one another by means of the first transport mechanism in order to bring this information disc into a play position intended for reading and/or inscribing it.
Information discs are to be understood to mean in particular optically readable information carriers such as CDs (Compact Discs) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs). In accordance with the invention the holding trays include two parts that can be moved together in the same direction and also relative to one another, in particular, in opposite directions. When the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays are moved together in the same direction, the information discs held therein are conveyed by the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays and can thus be transported inside the stacking unit. This does not involve any relative movement between the top parts and the bottom parts, i.e. the distance between the top parts and the bottom parts does not change. In order to play an information disc the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray which holds this information disc can be moved relative to one another. This means that the distance between the top part and the bottom part is increased. Suitably, the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray which holds the information disc to be played are moved in opposite directions, i.e. the top part in an upward direction and the bottom part in a downward direction. The clearance thus formed between the information disc and the top part and/or between the information disc and the bottom part allows the information disc to be played inside the stacking unit. Preferably, this is effected in that the read/write unit is moved into the stacking unit and reads the information stored on the information disc or writes information onto the information disc. Moving the information disc into a play position outside the stacking unit is not necessary and, consequently, no transport mechanism is needed for this purpose. Playing the information disc directly inside the stacking unit thus makes it possible to obtain a very compact apparatus of small dimensions. This is particularly advantageous for apparatuses intended for use in motorcars.
Preferably, the first transport mechanism is adapted to move the holding trays along a stacking line which is oriented transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the holding planes. This of the invention defined in claim 2 enables a particularly compact and space-saving construction to be obtained.
Preferably, the play position is situated on the stacking line and a second transport mechanism has been provided for moving the read/write unit from a standby position into the play position. This of the invention defined in claim 3 has the advantage that the information disc to be played can remain in the stacking unit and that no separate transport mechanism is necessary for the transport of the information disc out of the stacking unit into the play position.
The second transport mechanism moves the read/write unit from a standby position, which is preferably situated outside the stacking unit, into the play position. The second transport mechanism can be realized for example in that the read/write unit is pivotably supported on a pivotal arm and is pivoted from the standby position into the play position. Alternatively, it is possible for example to mount the read/write unit on the chassis housing of the changer apparatus so as to be translatable and to realize the transfer from the standby position into the play position by means of a translatory movement.
The read/write unit usually has a rotatable turntable onto which the information disc to be played is pressed, clamped or placed in another manner. Preferably information disc to be played is positioned onto the turntable by means of the first transport mechanism. To this end, the read/write unit is first moved into the stacking unit and the turntable is centered with respect to the stacking line. Subsequently, the information disc to be played is pressed or clamped onto the turntable along the stacking line by means of the first transport mechanism, i.e. carried by the associated holding tray.
Preferably, however, the read/write unit itself is adapted to press or clamp the information disc onto the turntable. This can be achieved for example in that the read/write unit is first moved from the standby position into the stacking unit and is then pressed, for example from below, against the information disc to be played, which is held in the holding tray. Alternatively, other clamping mechanisms can be realized.
Preferably, the apparatus has an eject position in which the information disc can be removed from the apparatus and a third transport mechanism has been provided for moving the information disc from the holding tray, which is in a loading position of the stacking unit, into the eject position, the loading position being situated on the stacking line. This has the advantage that the information disc can be loaded separately into the changer apparatus and can also be removed separately from the changer apparatus. This is particularly advantageous in the case that the changer apparatus is mounted in the dashboard of a motorcar. In order to move an information disc from the stacking unit into the eject position this information disc is first transferred to the loading position of the stacking unit by means of the first transport mechanism, carried by the associated holding tray. By means of the third transport mechanism this information disc is then removed from the holding tray, which is in the loading position, and is brought to the eject position. The third transport mechanism can be realized for example by means of grooved transport wheels arranged on pivotal arms, as described in EP 742558.
In the advantageous embodiment of the invention defined in claim 7, the eject position is laterally offset with respect to the stacking line, i.e. in order to be ejected, the information disk must be removed from the holding tray which is in the loading position, and must be moved into the eject position which is situated outside the stacking unit. Preferably, the third transport mechanism is used for this. This is particularly simple and cheap. However, alternatively the second transport mechanism provided for the transport of the read/write unit can effect the transport of the information disk from the loading position into the eject position.
Preferably, the play position is laterally offset with respect to the stacking line and;
Preferably, the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays are coupled to spindles having at least one screw thread, the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays are movable by rotation of the spindles, the spindles have at least two sections with a first spindle section and a second spindle section, the first spindle section and the second spindle section are rotatable in one common direction for moving the information discs inside the stacking unit, and the first spindle section and the second spindle section are rotatable with respect to one another for moving the information disc into the play position, the first spindle section being adapted to move the top part and the second spindle section being adapted to move the bottom part of the holding tray which holds this information disc. This provides a simple construction for realizing the first transport mechanism. Preferably, three spindles having an external screwthread and arranged in a triangle are provided. The external screwthread engages with elements of the holding trays, as a result of which a rotation of the spindles causes the holding trays to be moved inside the stacking unit. When the first and the second spindle section are rotated together the first and the second spindle section are preferably interlocked, as a result of which there is no relative movement between the first and the second spindle section. The interlock between the first and the second spindle section is then implemented so as to obtain a continuous screwthread between the first spindle section and the second spindle section. The rotation of the first and the second spindle section relative to one another can be realized in that the first and the second spindle section are rotated in opposite directions. Alternatively, it is possible that only the first or only the second spindle section is rotated, the second or the first spindle section being stationary.
Preferably, the spindle has a separating plane which divides the first spindle section and the second spindle section, the respective holding tray is movable into the separating plane by rotation of the first spindle section and the second spindle section in the same direction in order to move the information disc into the play position in a first step, and the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray are movable relative to one another by rotation of the first spindle section and the second spindle section relative to one another in a second step. This provides is of a particularly simple construction. Thus an information disc to be played, together with the holding tray carrying it, is first moved into the separating plane. The separating plane divides the first and the second spindle section. For the rotation of the first and the second spindle section in the same direction the first and the second spindle section are coupled to one another, in particular interlocked, in the area of the separating plane. For a rotation of the first and the second spindle section in opposite directions or relative to one another the coupling between the first and the second spindle section in the separating plane is released, i.e. the first and the second spindle section can be moved relative to one another. When the holding tray is situated in the separating plane the top part is coupled to the first spindle section and the bottom part is coupled to the second spindle section. When the first and the second spindle section are now rotated in opposite directions, the first spindle section acts upon the top part of the holding tray and moves this part upward. At the same time the oppositely rotating second spindle section acts upon the bottom part of the holding tray and moves this bottom part downward. As a result of this, a clearance is created between the information disc and the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray.
The changer apparatus in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for mounting in a dashboard of a motor car because the mounting volume available there is very limited.